Trailer Talk: 'Man of Steel' Still a Force for Good Despite Darker Hues

The latest trailer for Man of Steel, the glossy reboot of the fabled Superman franchise, may look as dark as most modern comic book sagas.

It’s got producer Christopher Nolan’s fingerprints all over it, from the haunting score to the oh, so serious tone.

Yet our final glimpse at the film before its June 14 release reminds us why we cared about the man in blue in the first place. He’s a force for good, and no amount of rebooting apparently will change that.

The film’s newest trailer is a thing of beauty, a poetic look at the origin template complete with great actors (Russell Crowe), a majestic score (Hans Zimmer) and a thoroughly clean break from previous franchise installments.

Once more, Superman comes of age with remarkable powers but is told to hide them from the public. And, of course, he is torn between following his parents’ wishes and helping others.

“I have to believe that you were sent here for a reason … you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is,” says Papa Kent (Kevin Costner).

“You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards,” says Crowe as Superman’s biological father. “In time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders.”

The trailer’s waning moments are filled with fast cuts, the kind that leave viewers dizzy, not entertained. Perhaps it’s the studio’s way of teasing the action to come. Or, perhaps director Michael Bay visited the set and refused to leave.

The 2006 Superman Returns angered conservatives when it purposedly edited out, “the American way” from the character’s iconic description. Man of Steel may pull off a similar stunt, but the trailer suggests it has Superman’s decency and greatness firmly in mind.